West Coast have landed Melbourne premiership duo Trent Rivers and Jack Viney in the dying minutes of the AFL trade period on Wednesday.

The Eagles have given up pick No.45 in this year’s draft as well as second round picks in 2027 and 2028 and a fourth round pick for next season, to the Demons in exchange for Viney and Rivers as well as a second-round pick in 2028 and a fourth-round pick next year. The deal was agreed to around 15 minutes before Wednesday’s trade deadline.

Importantly, West Coast held onto pick No.23, which was heavily courted by the Demons primarily to land Rivers.

WEST COAST’S TRADE DETAILS

• IN: Trent Rivers, Jack Viney, 2028 Second-Round Pick
• OUT: Pick No.45, 2027 Second-Round Pick, 2028 Second-Round Pick and a 2027 Fourth-Round Pick

Rivers joins the Eagles on a five-year deal, after leaving Melbourne with a year to run on his contract there. He played 140 matches in seven seasons at the Dees.

The 25-year-old would have been a free agent at the end of next year, but will now head to Mineral Resources Park, where he will add versatility across half-back and in the midfield.

Rivers’ recruitment could prove pivotal to also to recruiting Sydney superstar Chad Warner as a free agent next season, with the pair former teammates both at East Fremantle and for the WA under-18 side before they were picked up in the 2019 draft.

“Trent is a player we have tracked for some time, and we’re excited he has joined our club,” Eagles recruiting boss Matt Clarke said.

“He has shown at Melbourne he is a defender who can attack the game from half-back and he also has the versatility to play through the midfield.

“Trent adds more premiership experience to our squad and is in the right age demographic to contribute to our list for years to come.”

Viney joins the WA club after 238 games in 14 seasons at the Demons, having been told by the club to explore his options because they could not guarantee him a spot in their best 23 next season.

He will be on a four-year deal, with two as a player and two as a coach, committing long-term to the West Australian club.

Viney had two years left on a contract at the Victorian club. But he will now move his young family west for the final stretch of a career that includes a premiership in 2021 and two best-and-fairest awards at Melbourne, most recently in 2024.

“Once it became clear Jack was potentially available we were keen to add his experience and leadership to our playing group and we’re excited he is joining our club,” Clarke said.

“Jack’s reputation across the competition is as a person of the highest character who leads by example with his uncompromising standards and drive to be successful.

“He was a key part of a premiership team at Melbourne, and we believe he can have a significant and positive impact on our midfield mix and developing group on and off the field.”

The moves came on the back of a tense deadline day which had Clarke and his Melbourne counterpart Tim Lamb meet on several occasions, including on couches in the managers’ rooms.

Meanwhile, Viney’s manager Tom Petroro spent hours between the rooms speaking to the two clubs as they tried to strike a deal.

It continues the Eagles’ trend of bringing in experienced players in recent years, having added the likes of Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Tylar Young (all Richmond), Brandon Starcevich and Deven Robertson (both Brisbane) and Matt Owies (Carlton) to strengthen their squad alongside a plethora of draftees.

West Coast now hold picks three, 23, 58, 64, 73 and 82 in next month’s draft and are almost certain to receive another pick at the end of the first round when an early bid comes on Port Adelaide academy product Dougie Cochrane as part of the new AFL rules.

Melbourne on sent pick No.45 to Brisbane for uncontracted forward Will McLachlan not long after the deal was agreed to.

MOST GAMES FOR RIVAL AFL CLUBS BEFORE JOINING WEST COAST

• Drew Petrie 316
• Sam Mitchell 307
• Jack Viney 238
• Ross Glendinning 190
• Daniel Chick 149
• Trent Rivers 140
• Brandon Starcevich 132
• Jack Graham 131
• Jack Redden 129
• Liam Baker 128

Bold = recruited in the past two years